Advertiser Cup runners-up Yelvertoft

Advertiser Cup action

The Rugby Advertiser Cup was between Yelvertoft and Athletico Belbao. Yelvertoft were playing in their last game ever in the Sunday League after 25 years.

It was Atheltico who started well and within the first minute a free kick 25 yards out, taken by Luke Pritchard, rattled the crossbar. Toft created two chances, Luke Jones and David Rawes coming close. In the 34th minute Athletico won a free-kick on the edge of the box. There was some quick thinking from Luke Pritchard who put the ball down, stepped back and then hit the ball into the top corner of the net whilst everyone else stood and watched.

For the next 15 minutes Yelvertoft were put under a great deal of pressure from Athletico and five minutes before the break a cross from the right wing found the head of Dan Bevins, who guided the ball home to double their lead.

The second half saw Toft come out fighting and David Rawes forced a good save from keeper Lee Mace. Another effort form Nathan Shaw was hit just wide. With 70 minutes on the clock a cross into the Athletico penalty-box gave Simon Johnson the chance to head home and reduce the deficit. The game flowed from end to end but despite Toft having the better of the half they couldn’t break down the Atheltico defence and the game ended 2–1.

Hospital Cup champions Lawford

(Lawford won on penalties)

The Hospital Cup final saw the champions Lawford take on runners-up CRC in an all division one affair that really didn’t meet expectations.

Both teams started at a frantic pace and it was evident that there were a lot of nervous players not wanting to make a mistake. The first chance of the game fell to CRC after a defensive mistake in the Lawford defence, but the shot lacked power and was wide of the mark. Neither team created a goalscoring chance. CRC did find the net but it was clearly off-side. Lawford came close in the 41st minute, with the best move of the half which saw a good passing movement down the left and a great effort from Jake Chater blocked to stay 0–0 at the break. T

he game improved in the second-half and CRC came close twice in a matter of minutes, both efforts coming from Kyle Dawes but they comfortably saved by Daniel Mallinson in goal.

In the 60th minute top goalscorer Dale Linton had a great effort tipped away for a Lawford corner. Rob Crinigan took the corner and Daniel O’Toole rose to head Lawford in front.

Five minutes later CRC hit back from another corner which saw the ball handled off the line and CRC had a penalty. But worse still Lawford went down to ten men after the automatic sending off. Joshua Banton took the kick and fired home to level the game. For the duration of the half it remained close and neither side could break the deadlock so we went into extra-time. Extra-time couldn’t produce a winner so they went to a penalty shoot-out which Lawford won 4–3.

CRC and Lawford line up for the Hospital Cup final on Sunday afternoon